Results of 3D radar MAX at the AWWI conference in Minnesota

Nov. 27th-30th - Presenting dedicated full 3D bird radar to assess bird flight behaviour and collision risk at wind farms in the Netherlands and state-of-the-art offshore ecological research at NWCC workshop ‘Offshore Wind Energy and Wildlife’ as part of the AWWI conference in St Paul, Minnesota.

A Scientific Approach to Active Reef Rehabilitation

October 28th 2018 - One of our areas of work is assisting ecosystem recovery and researching methods to improve coral reef rehabilitation. Research on the sexual reproduction and aquaculture of juvenile corals by marine contractor Van Oord DMC, to which our coral expert Miriam Schutter contributed in 2016, was recently described in the journal of the International Association of Dredging Companies (IADC). Also in 2017, Miriam, this time on behalf of Bureau Waardenburg, was involved in this study. ReefGuard: A Scientific Approach to Active Reef Rehabilitation.

No plastic in the stomach or intestine of the sperm whale

The sperm whale that died off the coast of Petten, North Holland at the end of June, had no plastic in its gastrointestinal tract. That was the conclusion from researchers from Bureau Waardenburg. During the dissection, inflammation in both lungs was discovered by a team from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Utrecht University.

The research team from Bureau Waardenburg and Wageningen Marine Research, in collaboration with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, looked into the stomach and intestinal contents of the sperm whale as part of on-going research into diet and plastics. The stomach of the sperm whale turned out to be completely empty. In addition to the fact that no micro (1mm - 5mm) or macro (> 5mm) plastics were found, there were also no prey remains. The intestine was for the most part empty and no micro or macro plastics were found here either. Remains of prey were mainly found in the last part of the intestine. These are currently being further studied with the aim of determining to species. More>

12 June 2015Using vertical radar with automated bird-tracking software, Ruben Fijn and colleagues of Bureau Waardenburg estimate that 1.6 million birds pass through a large offshore Dutch wind farm at heights that make them vulnerable to being hit by rotors. These are mostly gulls during the day and migrating passerines at night. Numbers passing at risk heights varied across time and with wind direction. The results further our understanding of the likely impacts of offshore wind farms. Read more>>

Beavers caught on camera

10 March 2015Beaver activity around a lodge was captured on camera to establish if and how the lodge was being used. The use of remote cameras and microphones revealed that the beavers were breeding and young were present.

Europe's largest common tern colony struggles to find enough food

13 September 2013A multi-year assessment of the common tern colony in the Dutch IJsselmeer has revealed that the breeding success is insufficient. The terns are finding too little food and have increased competition from black-headed gulls. Read more on the research at this tern colony...

Drones help with vegetation monitoring

16 Augustus 2013Drones, small helicopters equipped with high resolution video cameras, can be used for the monitoring of vegetation. Initial tests have proved very promising and we are developing plans for the use of this type of technology in ecological research. Read more...

Dutch Arctic terns migrate via Australia

21 May 2013Arctic terns breeding in the northern part of the Netherlands were fitted with geolocators. These tiny light sensors revealed the route and timing of their spectacular migration across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans to the Antarctic. Two of the marked birds passed southern Australia and one even passed New Zealand on their route towards Wilkes Land in the eastern Antarctic. This route is the longest bird migration route recorded so far and is different to that taken by Arctic terns breeding on Greenland.

First cultivation of freshwater mussels successful

11 April 2013Bureau Waardenburg has succeeded with the large-scale cultivation of freshwater mussels. These mussels are used as biological filters for the purification of waterways. Read more...

Workgroup on invasive non-native species in the Wadden Sea

An international workgroup met recently to tackle the issues surrounding invasive non-native species in the Wadden Sea. Bureau Waardenburg made an important contribution to the proposed strategy based on a policy of prevention, early warning, monitoring, risk-assessment and management measures.

Jan van der Winden awarded the Herman Klomp prize

Photo: Theo Verstrael

24 November 2012Jan van der Winden has been awarded the Herman Klomp prize for his long-term work in the field of ornithology. The award is presented every three years by BirdLife Netherlands (Vogelbescherming), Netherlands Ornithological Union (NOU) and SOVON to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the understanding and protection of birds. The award was presented by Vogelbescherming director Fred Wouters, who named Jan's long-term studies on black terns, purple herons, bitterns and common terns, as well as his energy, enthusiasm and ability to stimulate others as factors that have lead to the improving our understanding and the protection of birds. Jan invests a huge amount of his own time and energy into his projects.

The secret life of the bittern

Last winter, one of the Bitterns (Botaurus stellaris) followed (Anneke) made a round trip of England. After a brief visit to the Humber she went to North Wales. She spent much of the winter in Devon before following the Thames over London and back to North Holland. This research is proving to provide a useful insight into the lives of Bitterns. So far, six Bitterns have been equipped with GPS transmitters enabling their movements to be followed (www.roerdomp.info). In 2010, Landschap Noord-Holland in cooperation with Bureau Waardenburg, began research into the habitat use and ecology of the Bittern.

Offshore wind and ecology congress

2 August 2012

Bureau Waardenburg has carried out research into the effects of the offshore wind farm at Egmond aan Zee on birds. The results of this research were published in early 2012. All the results from the ecological monitoring and research program at OWEZ will be presented at a forthcoming congress; see www.owe2012.nl/

Fast recovery of plants and algae on Dutch seawalls

Much of the Dutch region of Zeeland is protected by seawalls and dykes. These seawalls provide artificial rocky shore habitats that fall under wildlife protection legislations. Between 1997 and 2002 repairs and strengthening of the seawalls occurred. Plants and algae returned remarkably quickly following the work. Monitoring was undertaken by Projectbureau Zeeweringen and Bureau Waardenburg.

Studying the foraging behaviour of cormorants in the Dutch delta with GPS loggers

25 mei 2012In April 2012, we began research into the flight activity and foraging behaviour of cormorants in the Dutch delta. A total of 11 breeding cormorants have been fitted with GPS loggers. Lees meer >>

Agami herons followed with satellite transmitters in French Guyana

7 May 2012GEPOG has started with a conservation project on this special heron species. We assist with the development of a suitable harness for this elegant species. The project started successfully as we received the first transmitter signals. Read more

Purple heron roost sites

20 April 2012In 2012, Bureau Waardenburg together with Landschapsbeheer Zuid-Holland and Natuurmonumenten plan to gather information on all roosts in South-Holland in order to better understand the sites and numbers of purple herons in the region. This project will provide important information about habitat use away of the breeding colonies. Read more

Toad protection plan leads to unique partnership

17 April 2012A compensation plan for the natterjack toad in Vlissingen, Zeeland, has lead to a unique collaboration between the local council, HZ University of Applied Sciences and Bureau Waadenburg. Together they have developed a teaching programme for aquatic eco-technology students.

Fast recovery of plants and algae on Dutch seawalls

22 March 2012Much of the Dutch region of Zeeland is protected by seawalls and dykes. These seawalls provide artificial rocky shore habitats that fall under wildlife protection legislations. Between 1997 and 2002 repairs and strengthening of the seawalls occurred. Plants and algae returned remarkably quickly following the work. Monitoring was undertaken by Projectbureau Zeeweringen and Bureau Waardenburg.

Secret lives of the Bittern

In 2010, Landschap Noord-Holland in cooperation with Bureau Waardenburg, began research into the habitat use and ecology of the Bittern (Botaurus stellaris). So far, six Bitterns have been equipped with GPS transmitters enabling their movements to be followed (www.roerdomp.info). Last winter, one of the Bitterns followed (Anneke) made a round trip of England. After a brief visit to the Humber Anneke went to North Wales before heading south to Devon. She spent much of the winter here before following the Thames over London and back to North Holland. This research is proving to provide a useful insight into the lives of Bitterns.

Prize winner poster prize EWEA Offshore conference 2011

3 December 2011

Karen Krijgsveld (second from right) recieves the prize for best poster on behalf of Bureau Waardenburg during the EWEA offshore wind energy congress in Amsterdam (29 Nov - 1 Dec 2011). With more than 8,200 participants, the congress is the World's largest event in the field of wind energy.

UN Wildlife Meeting Pushes to Make Power Lines Safer for Birds

Bergen, 24 November 2011

Two new international reports on the conflict between migratory birds and power lines in the African-Eurasian region are being presented to delegates at a UN wildlife conference taking place 20-25 November 2011 in Bergen, Norway. Read more >>

North Sea wind farm has positive net impact on fauna

7 August 2011

A North Sea wind farm has hardly any negative effects on fauna, and in fact can provide benefits for marine life. According to researcher Prof. Han Lindeboom and his colleagues at IMARES, part of Wageningen UR, and fellow scientists at Bureau Waardenburg and the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), the wind farm at Egmond aan Zee (OWEZ) provides an oasis of calm, for both fish and marine mammals, in a relatively busy coastal area. At most, a few bird species will avoid such a wind farm. It turns out that the wind farm also provides a new natural habitat for organisms living on the sea bed, such as mussels, anemones and crabs; thereby contributing to increased biodiversity. Read the press release of IMARES or download the article.

The secret life of the bittern

2 June 2011

In 2010, Landschap Noord-Holland in cooperation with Bureau Waardenburg, began research into the habitat use and ecology of the Bittern (Botaurus stellaris). So far, six Bitterns have been equipped with GPS transmitters enabling their movements to be followed (www.roerdomp.info). This year a webcam was installed at the nest of one of the females (Anneke). The first chick hatched on 23 May and later two young successfully fledged.

Bureau Waardenburg at the Conference on Wind energy and Wildlife impacts

10 May 2011

During 2-5 May 2011 an international Conference on Wind energy and Wildlife impacts was held in Trondheim. The conference was attended by around 300 delegates. Bureau Waardenburg contributed through a number of oral and poster presentations, including presenting results from studies at the first Dutch offshore wind farm at Egmond aan Zee.

Conflicts between birds and power lines in more than 130 countries

10 January 2011

Bureau Waardenburg is working on behalf of the UNEP/AEWA (African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement), part of the United Nations, to identify and map potential areas of conflict between birds and power lines in over 130 countries. The work also aims to identify possible mitigation measures. Bureau Waardenburg is coordinating this project, which includes a number of international partners, such as in Portugal and Africa.

Sand martins: permanent residencies for mobile species?

Foto: Paul Boddeke

18 December 2010

In the latest issue of the Journaal Flora en Fauna Bureau Waardenburg describe how mobile species, such as sand martins, can be considered in relation to Dutch nature protection laws (oeverzwaluwen in de praktijk in het kader van de Flora- en faunawet: please note that the article is in Dutch).The sand martin is a species that benefits from dynamic habitats and breeding colonies in the Netherlands depend largely on sites with land workings. At the same time there are strict laws concerning breeding birds. But does the sand martin benefit? Is there a practical way to allow the work to continue while at the same time allowing the sand martins to benefit?

Three years of purple heron research

14 December 2010

After three years of research involving satellite transmitters on purple herons we have published the initial results for BirdLife Netherlands. The story was published in the Dutch national newspaper NRC on 14 December 2010 Purperreiger vliegt pijlsnel naar Afrika(in Dutch) and featured on the Dutch national radio programme Vroege Vogels on 12 September 2010 interview with Jan van der Winden (in Dutch). Alternatively, you can follow the lastest findings on the BirdLife Netherlands' website vogelbescherming/purperreigers (site in Dutch but with maps of results).

Radar study of bird migration in Calabria, Southern Italy

31 August 2010

Terna SpA, the main administrator of the Italian electric grid, is planning to develop a new 380 kV power line in Calabria, Southern Italy. In Spring 2010, Bureau Waardenburg carried out a two-week radar study to quantify the flight direction and altitude of migrating birds through the corridor of the planned power line. The study site was located near the Messina Strait within the Important Bird Area Costa Viola.